Watching the videos at the end of this article really opened my eyes to the fact that women are not automatically assumed to be leaders. They have to prove themselves in some way and they have to defy odds in order to be equal with men in terms of leadership.
For example, in the video “Why Women Are Paid Less,” it is noted that 70% of Americans believe new fathers should go back to the workforce while just a small fraction of that percentage believe that women should go back. This is just one example of many that prove even in today's age, women are not automatically proven to be as capable as men. With this attitude, it is impossible to break the chains held on women in the workforce and we continue down the path of inequality. It takes a turn however, because this video shows that it isn't even as much of a statement of going back to work after having kids that the pay grade changes for women, it is the fact that they are now mothers that change their pay grade.
This statement made in this same video really hammers the nail in that women are continuously set back by things that they can not always choose, such as pregnancy and gender. Seeing the charts and these facts presented in the video really opened my eyes to how unfair it is for women in the workforce. Even women who have no kids and are great leaders, are still behind men. In addition, the fact that having children even changes things for a woman's pay grade in her career has something to say for itself.
Another video that I found interesting was Oprah’s speech at Power of Women. The excerpt where she spoke about her ‘daughter’ who wrote her a letter from her summer back in Capetown really opened my eyes especially. The section she spoke about where she said she had an open, powerful, passionate, etc. conversation at a round table with all men was most intriguing. She mentioned that she felt equal with these men and she felt that her opinion would not be questioned because of her gender but because of the quality of her opinion. That is something that most women on this planet strive for.
A solution to feeling we have to prove ourselves in order to be assumed leaders is easier said than done. In inspiration of what Oprah’s ‘daughter’ said, we must have people question us based on the value of our opinion rather than the gender that we identify as. In order to do this, we must be the powerful and strong leaders we are and not allow these questions or anxieties affect the way that we portray ourselves in the workforce and not let them get in our minds when we are doing the work we are doing.
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